Couple become instant millionaires after finding GOLD in their back garden

HAUL: The couple found the gold by accident while walking their dog on their property [KAGIN'S/SPLASH NEWS]

The California couple – who are choosing to remain anonymous – found the 1,427 mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree, and they are worth a staggering £6 MILLION.

The coins date from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, and although the face value of them only adds up to about £17k, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly £600k apiece.

Don Kagin, an expert in money collection who is representing the finders, said of the record haul: "I don't like to say once-in-a-lifetime for anything, but you don't get an opportunity to handle this kind of material, a treasure like this, ever.

"It's like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."

BURIED: The rusty can was found sticking out of the ground [KAGIN'S/SPLASH NEWS]

“It's like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow”

Money expert Don Kagin

Kagin, whose family has been in the rare-coin business for 81 years, would say little about the couple other than that they are husband and wife, are middle-aged and have lived for several years on the rural property where the coins were found.

The pair are choosing to remain anonymous to avoid gold-chasers armed with metal detectors flooding to their properties, and also because they don't want to be treated any differently now they are hugely-wealthy.

They plan to put most of the coins up for sale on Amazon while holding onto a few keepsakes.

OLD: The coins date back to the 19th century [EPA]

The couple are going to use the money to pay off bills and quietly donate to local charities.

Mystery surrounds who buried the coins in the first place, but it's thought that whoever put them there did so as soon as they were put into circulation due to the condition they are in.

It's believed the person was using the ground as a personal bank rather than the stash coming from a robbery.

It goes to show you should never ignore a rusty can sticking out of the ground!